In which chives and mint are combined to make a stunning salsa.
I’m not one to follow recipes to the letter so feel free to add and subtract as you see fit for your tastebuds.
We have a lot of chives in the garden at the moment and since this is the time for gathering and preparing foods the year ahead, we make salsas, jams, and pestos like crazy around here throughout the spring and summer. This salsa is savory with a hint of mint to give a fresh taste in place of tomatoes which take their sweet time to make an appearance around here. This green salsa-like paste goes well with quesadillas, grilled fish, and burritos.
1 bunch chives
6-8 fresh mint leaves
1 garlic scape (or clove of garlic)
1/2 bunch cilantro (about a handful (I use stems, too, but that’s up to you))
1 jalapeno pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons water
Roast your pepper in the oven until it’s blackened or do it over the stove. Sweat your pepper for 20 minutes or so in a jar or paper bag, then remove the stem and seeds. I roast mine on my camp stove toaster that we use for our off-the-grid toast.
Throw everything in your Cuisinart or food processor and let it rip until the salsa looks like salsa. If you don’t have a food processor, using a mortar and pestle works perfectly, simply add the water last. I use a rock salt sea salt and grind it in the mortar and pestle as it tastes so wonderful that way!
If you amend this recipe with your own additions or subtractions, please let me know what works for you in the comments below.
Pioneering The Simple Life 
You have CHIVES already? I’ll have to wait a month or more to have a few little shoots to zing something or other up. But I’ll put this recipe by for later.
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Yes, it does feel early. But, there they are. A long row of them, planted years ago. The early chives just seem to taste best. Do let me know how this recipe goes for you and I encourage you to experiment with it and add or delete whatever works for you.
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Oh don’t worry. The recipe that I follow slavishly has yet to be written!
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I have heritage chives from the grandparent’s garden already showing themselves, though my mint isn’t ready for harvesting … I might add some flat leaf parsley that is languishing in the crisper to lighten the taste. No doubt this is as delicious and fresh as the arugula pesto you make 🙂
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Love the idea of parsley. Yes, that’s what is needed. So, it’s more of an herb salsa. Mmmmm.
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instead of water I used juice from half a lime that was languishing in the fruit bowl … seems I have more than a few languishing things that can be thrown together for fun 😉
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I have all of these fixins ready to go! Thanks for the inspiration. I too never follow recipes very well. I cook by feel and mood. It drive my girlfriend nuts. Keep it loose and expressive.
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It’s really the only way to go because, hey, your mint could be a different pungent heirloom variety and my chives could be garlic chives. Even salt has many varieties and flavors. So, improvisational recipe-following feels like fair game to me. Thanks for checking the recipe out.
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